Practice: Individual Differences
Knowledge Check: Our Universe
5.1 Dimensions of Individual Differences
Q1: Individual differences among students mainly refer to
A) Differences that must be removed to make all students same
B) Natural variations in abilities, interests, attitudes and personality
C) Only differences in physical height and weight
D) Only differences in examination marks in one subject
Q2: A child loves drawing maps and diagrams but scores average in tests. This mainly shows a difference in
A) Aptitude for music
B) Interest and spatial ability
C) Physical development only
D) Values and moral judgement only
Q3: Cognitive abilities of a learner mainly include
A) Thinking, reasoning and problem solving
B) Only physical strength and stamina
C) Colour of eyes and hair
D) Length of time spent in school building
Q4: A student says, “This answer is correct because…” and gives a logical explanation. This mainly shows
A) Imagination
B) Reasoning ability
C) Only memory
D) Physical skill in writing fast
Q5: A learner strongly believes that “honesty is always better than cheating”. This belief is best called
A) Interest
B) Value
C) Attitude towards sports
D) Aptitude in mathematics
Q6: A child likes science experiments but is still weak in science tests. This situation shows that
A) Interest and achievement are always the same
B) Interest and achievement can be different
C) The child has no interest in science
D) The child has no individual differences at all
Q7: Which pair correctly matches dimension and example?
A) Need – liking to play cricket
B) Personality – being generally calm and patient
C) Aptitude – marks scored in last unit test
D) Attitude – height and weight of the child
Q8: A learner has strong aptitude for music. This mainly means that the learner
A) Will definitely become a famous singer without practice
B) Has potential to learn music faster with proper training
C) Has highest marks in every subject
D) Cannot learn any other subject well
Q9: A child suggests an unusual but workable method to solve a classroom problem. This behaviour mainly reflects
A) Lack of discipline
B) Creativity
C) Only rote memory
D) Physical weakness in sports
Q10: The need for recognition in class (wanting teacher appreciation) is an example of
A) Cognitive ability
B) Social and emotional need
C) Physical aptitude
D) Only interest in language learning
Q11: Which classroom practice BEST respects individual differences?
A) Expecting all students to learn in exactly the same way and speed
B) Giving same type of examples and tasks for every topic
C) Using varied activities suited to different abilities and interests
D) Comparing every student only with the class topper always
Q12: When a teacher understands that a quiet, thoughtful child may be as capable as an active, talkative child, the teacher is recognising
A) Only physical differences
B) Personality differences without judging ability
C) That quietness always means weakness
D) That only talkative children can be intelligent
5.2 Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and Other Theories of Intelligence
Q1: Gardner proposed his theory of Multiple Intelligences mainly to show that
A) Intelligence is only what IQ tests measure
B) There are many distinct intelligences beyond language and maths
C) Intelligence depends only on physical strength
D) Intelligence is fixed at birth and cannot grow
Q2: A student who quickly notices patterns in numbers and enjoys logical puzzles shows strength mainly in
A) Musical intelligence
B) Logical–mathematical intelligence
C) Bodily–kinesthetic intelligence
D) Naturalistic intelligence
Q3: A child who composes tunes, remembers lessons through songs and is sensitive to rhythm shows high
A) Spatial intelligence
B) Musical intelligence
C) Interpersonal intelligence
D) Naturalistic intelligence only
Q4: In Gardner’s theory, a child who understands classmates’ feelings and resolves quarrels is strong in
A) Intrapersonal intelligence
B) Interpersonal intelligence
C) Linguistic intelligence
D) Only bodily–kinesthetic intelligence
Q5: Which of the following is the BEST classroom implication of Multiple Intelligences theory?
A) Use only written tests to judge intelligence
B) Use many teaching methods so that different intelligences are engaged
C) Focus only on language and mathematics as they are true intelligences
D) Group students based only on height and weight for activities
Q6: Spearman’s “g” factor mainly refers to
A) A general intelligence common to all mental tasks
B) Growth in physical height
C) Giftedness only in music
D) Group intelligence in team games only
Q7: Sternberg’s triarchic theory includes which three types of intelligence?
A) Logical, bodily, musical
B) Verbal, non-verbal, spatial
C) Analytical, creative, practical
D) Conscious, subconscious, unconscious
Q8: When a teacher labels a child as “low intelligence” only based on written test marks, this ignores which key idea of Gardner?
A) Intelligence cannot be measured at all
B) Intelligence is only physical strength
C) Intelligence has many forms like musical, spatial, interpersonal
D) Intelligence develops only outside school
Q9: A student is poor in written maths tests but excellent in repairing electrical gadgets at home. Which intelligence is most visible?
A) Naturalistic intelligence
B) Bodily–kinesthetic and practical intelligence
C) Only interpersonal intelligence
D) Only linguistic intelligence
Q10: In classroom assessment based on Multiple Intelligences, the teacher should
A) Use only objective written questions
B) Include projects, presentations, performances along with tests
C) Avoid checking learning outcomes
D) Assess only homework completion and attendance
Q11: Which statement BEST contrasts Spearman and Gardner?
A) Both believe in only physical intelligence
B) Spearman emphasises one general factor, Gardner emphasises many distinct intelligences
C) Gardner supports one IQ score, Spearman supports many scores
D) Both reject any differences between individuals
Q12: A teacher planning a lesson using story, diagram, group discussion and activity is mainly applying the idea of
A) Punishment and reward theory
B) Multiple Intelligences
C) Only general factor of intelligence
D) Fixed learning style of all students
5.3 Learning Styles and Socio-Cultural Context
Q1: Learning style mainly refers to
A) The fixed level of intelligence
B) The preferred way a learner receives and processes information
C) The height and weight of the learner
D) The number of years a learner spends in school
Q2: A learner who remembers diagrams and charts better than spoken explanations shows a preference for
A) Auditory style
B) Visual style
C) Kinesthetic style
D) Only rote learning style
Q3: A student who understands concepts best when doing experiments and role plays is mainly
A) Visual learner
B) Kinesthetic learner
C) Auditory learner
D) Only logical–mathematical learner
Q4: Which teaching approach BEST supports different learning styles in one class?
A) Only lecture from textbook
B) Mix of visuals, discussions and hands-on activities
C) Only silent reading for all topics
D) Only copying answers from the board daily
Q5: In many Indian classrooms, the home language of children differs from the instructional language. The FIRST challenge they face is
A) Low physical strength
B) Difficulty in understanding and expressing ideas in school language
C) Lack of interest in any learning
D) Inability to sit on benches for a long time
Q6: The MOST appropriate response of a teacher to a child whose home language is different from school language is to
A) Forbid use of home language completely
B) Use bilingual explanations and peer support
C) Punish the child for speaking home language
D) Put the child in a lower class permanently
Q7: In socio-cultural context, which factor directly influences classroom participation?
A) Colour of school building
B) Family language, traditions and expectations
C) Shape of classroom windows
D) Brand of school furniture only
Q8: A child is silent in class but talks freely at home in a different language. This behaviour MOST likely indicates
A) Total lack of ideas
B) Home language–school language gap
C) Serious intellectual disability
D) Complete disinterest in learning anything
Q9: Which teacher action uses home language as a resource?
A) Allowing students to discuss ideas in home language before writing answers in school language
B) Banning all home language words anywhere
C) Separating students by language in different playgrounds
D) Giving lower marks to students who have different home language
Q10: Which statement about learning styles is MOST appropriate?
A) A child has only one fixed learning style forever
B) Learning styles are preferences and can be flexible
C) Learning style fully decides intelligence
D) Teachers should teach only in one style always
Q11: Children from rural or tribal backgrounds bring which important resource to classroom learning?
A) No useful knowledge for school
B) Rich local knowledge about environment, culture and community life
C) Only knowledge of foreign countries
D) Only experience of textbooks and coaching centres
Q12: When planning lessons for a class with mixed home languages, the teacher should FIRST
A) Study students’ language backgrounds and plan bilingual support
B) Decide to teach only in the easiest language for the teacher
C) Avoid any pair or group work
D) Reduce lesson content to a very low level permanently
5.4 Individual Differences in Cognitive Abilities
Q1: A child has normal intelligence but faces persistent difficulty in reading and spelling. This condition is BEST described as
A) Learning difficulty
B) Intellectually challenged
C) Intellectually gifted
D) Physical disability only
Q2: A slow learner in class is one who
A) Never learns anything
B) Learns at a slower pace and needs more time and support
C) Is always intellectually gifted
D) Should be removed from regular classroom immediately
Q3: “Intellectually challenged” children generally show
A) High IQ and very fast problem solving
B) Significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour
C) Only physical disability without learning issues
D) Only specific difficulty in reading long words
Q4: An intellectually gifted child in the classroom is MOST likely to
A) Complete work quickly and ask higher-level questions
B) Always show poor social skills
C) Need only punishment to perform
D) Avoid any new learning task always
Q5: Which teacher response reflects a “difference not deficit” view?
A) “This student is weak; nothing can be done.”
B) “This student learns differently, so I must change my method and pace.”
C) “This student should not be in my class.”
D) “Only marks matter; other strengths are useless.”
Q6: For a child with learning difficulty in reading, the MOST suitable classroom support is
A) More punishment for every mistake
B) Multi-sensory teaching with extra practice and patience
C) Ignoring errors completely
D) Removing the child from language lessons permanently
Q7: A slow learner who gets extra time and concrete examples gradually improves. This situation shows that
A) Slow learners can never progress
B) Supportive teaching can help slow learners succeed
C) Extra time has no effect on learning
D) Only home tuition matters, not classroom teaching
Q8: For intellectually challenged learners, the classroom emphasis should be on
A) Only abstract, advanced theories
B) Functional academics, life skills and social skills
C) Only punishments to ensure discipline
D) Competing with toppers in all exams without any adaptation
Q9: Which is the BEST way to handle intellectually gifted learners?
A) Keep them idle after finishing work
B) Give enrichment tasks and higher-order questions
C) Ask them to do the same worksheets repeatedly
D) Ask them to ignore other classmates’ doubts always
Q10: Which statement is TRUE about learning difficulties?
A) They are caused only by laziness
B) They may occur despite normal intelligence
C) They always mean hearing loss
D) They disappear automatically without any support
Q11: A “difference perspective” in inclusive education mainly suggests that
A) All learners must be identical
B) Differences are natural and teaching should adapt
C) Differences are faults of families
D) Only high achievers deserve good teaching methods
Q12: If a teacher always highlights a child’s strengths in drawing while supporting weak reading, this reflects
A) Deficit view of the child
B) Strength-based, difference-oriented view
C) Only focus on art education
D) Ignoring all academic goals completely
5.5 Encouraging Creativity in Children
Q1: Creativity in children mainly means ability to
A) Memorise and repeat exactly
B) Produce new and useful ideas or products
C) Copy others’ work neatly
D) Obey all rules without any question
Q2: Which classroom situation BEST supports creativity?
A) Only one fixed answer is allowed for drawing or story writing
B) Students are encouraged to suggest different endings to a story
C) Students are punished for unusual ideas
D) Students must copy the teacher’s diagram exactly every time
Q3: A “safe climate for mistakes” in a creative classroom means
A) Students are never corrected
B) Mistakes are treated as learning steps, not as reasons for shame
C) Students are always praised, even for careless work
D) Only correct textbook answers are allowed every time
Q4: Which teacher behaviour is LEAST helpful for developing creativity?
A) Allowing students to choose materials for a project
B) Asking only factual recall questions in every lesson
C) Using local stories and examples to start projects
D) Giving time for group brainstorming of ideas
Q5: A project where students design low-cost teaching aids using waste materials mainly helps in
A) Only memorising definitions
B) Practical creativity linked to local context
C) Reducing all group work
D) Avoiding application of knowledge in real life
Q6: Which instruction BEST encourages creative thinking in science class?
A) “Write the same answer from the guide for all questions.”
B) “List different ways we can save water in our village and test one method.”
C) “Do not ask any questions; just listen.”
D) “Memorise the experiment steps without understanding.”
Q7: For a creative child who gives unusual but meaningful answers, the teacher should
A) Immediately say the answer is wrong because it is different
B) Ask the child to explain the thinking behind the answer
C) Stop the child from speaking in class
D) Give punishment for not copying textbook lines exactly
Q8: The “4F” conditions that support creativity in class can be summarised as
A) Fear, Force, Formality, Failure
B) Freedom, Flexibility, Feedback, Fun
C) Fees, Facilities, Furniture, Fans
D) Facts, Formulas, Figures, Files only
Q9: Allowing students to work in small groups to design their own quiz questions mainly builds
A) Only rote memory
B) Creativity and cooperative skills
C) Only handwriting speed
D) Only competition and fear in class
Q10: Which statement about creativity is TRUE?
A) Only a few children are creative; others can never be
B) Creativity can be encouraged in all children with suitable environment
C) Creativity is useful only in drawing class
D) Creativity and discipline can never go together
Q11: A teacher who always demands identical notebooks from all students is MOST likely to
A) Discourage creativity
B) Encourage originality
C) Build flexible thinking
D) Support divergent ideas in class
Q12: Integrating local art, folk songs and stories in lessons mainly helps creativity by
A) Separating school from community life
B) Providing meaningful and culturally rich material for new ideas
C) Reducing student interest
D) Limiting learning only to textbooks